Type action for electric typewriters and the like



Sept. 26, 1961 K. R. FRECHETTE 3,

TYPE ACTION FOR ELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 2, 1960 Sept. 2-6, 1961 K. R. FRECHETTE 3, 0 ,6 6

TYPE ACTION FOR ELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 2, 1960 V2 Sheets$heet 2 Fig.5

INVENTQR KENNETH R. REg-lgE 30 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,001,626TYPE ACTION FOR ELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE Kenneth R. Frechette,Bristol, Conn., assignor to Royal McBee Corporation, Port Chester, N.Y.,a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 53,753 6 Claims.(Cl. 197-17) This invention relates to an improved type action forelectric typewriters and the like, and more specifically relates to areliable simple and inexpensive device for insuring that only a singletyping action occurs for each depression of any of the respective keysof an electric typewriter.

Conventional type trip and by-pass arrangements are usually comprised oftwo, three or more elemental parts which are adapted to be initiallyoperated by a key lever so as to cause a single cyclic engagementbetween a pawl or roll cam and the rotatably driven power roll. Theseelemental parts associated with each type action are usually pivotallymounted and spring biased in an appropriate manner in order to producethe desired results. Although such arrangements are in common use andproduce the desired results they do not represent the most eflicient andsimple way to obtain the needed trip and by-pass action. These severalparts not only are more expensive because of the several requiredfabrication and assembly costs, but also may require adjustment,replacement or repair. Perhaps most significant here is that the addedinertia which is inherently possessed by any such plural-partarrangement reduces the maximum potential rapidity and ease of thesuccessive typing operations.

One object of the instant invention is to provide a novel type actionhaving a simplified construction and a greater efiiciency in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple reliabletrip and by-pass arrangement for a type action whereby only oneinexpensive part is required.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved low inertiatrip and by-pass arrangement for each key action of an electrictypewriter whereby a single looped flexible element is utilized toinitiate a typing action as well as serving as a by-pass member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel trip and by-passarrangement whereby a column action on one portion of a laterallyflexible member is used to provide a trip action and the lateral flexureof a greater portion of the said member is used to obtain a by-passaction.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view in partial section illustrating atypical type action incorporating the instant trip and by-passarrangement.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown inFIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are side elevational views showing active conditionsof one portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown a typical type action which may beconsidered representative of the various other type actions in thetypewriter. Unless otherwise stated it will be understood that thevarious parts shown are suitably supported by the machine side frames.Type bar which is conventionally mounted in a segment 11 is articulatelyconnected by means of a "ice link 12 to a sub lever 13 the lower end ofwhich is pivotally mounted on a cross shaft 14 and is disposed in a slot15 formed in the frame cross member 16. Said sub-lever is biased to anormal counter clockwise position determined by engagement of the typebar 10 with the headrest 17 by means of a spring 18 which is anchored tothe transversely extending adjustable manifold impression control bail20. Rotatably mounted on sub-lever 13: by means of a pin 21 is a rollcam 22 having a roughened peripheral surface 23 which is eccentricallycontoured with respect to the axis of pin 21. The roll cam is biasedaway from the power roll to a normal counter clockwise position inengagement with a bent-01f sub-lever ear 24 by means of a spring 25. Theupwardly extending projection 26 formed on the roll cam is adapted to bemoved downwardly against the action of spring 25 by means to bedescribed whereby the eccentric roll cam periphery 23 engages theperiphery of a continuously rotatably driven rubber coated cylindricalpower roll 27 so that the sub-lever 13 and type bar 10 may beoperatively displaced through a printing stroke. The generalconstruction and operation of the above described apparatus is more orless conventional in nature and hence need not be further particularizedhere.

The means for initially rotatably displacing the roll cam 22 intoengagement with the power roll comprises the usual key lever 30 which ispivotally mounted as at 31 and which is provided with an upwardly andrearwardly extending arm 32 that extends through and is movable in anelongated slot 33 formed in the transversely extending key lever guidemember 34. Member 34 is secured to the machine frame by any suitablemeans such as one or more screws 35. The key lever 30 which has itsupper and lower limits of movement determined by the transverselyextending common stop members 36 and 37 respectively are biased to thenormal upper position by a spring 40 which is anchored to a touchcontrol bail 41 that is adjustably mounted in the machine frame by anysuitable means.

A single transversely extending slotted comb-type member 42 is providedfor the roll cam trip and by-pass arrangement for all of the varioustype actions, said member 42 being clamped to the machine frame by saidscrews 35. The member 42. is formed with a plurality of identicalrearwardly extending flexible looped fingers such as at 43 each of whichhas a general inverted U- shaped configuration, there being one suchfinger associated with and substantially coplanar with respect to eachof the respective type actions. The lower rearward or free end of thecantilever finger 43 shown is formed with a slot 44, FIGURE 2, and has abent over pad 45 at the extreme end thereof which normally overlies theupper end of the said roll cam projection 26. The reduced end 46 of therearwardly extending key lever arm 32 extends through the finger slot44. The limit of forward movement of the said free end of finger 43 isdefined by a shoulder 47, FIGURE 5, formed on the lower rearward edge ofthe key lever arm 32.

The normal condition of the above described apparatus is shown inFIGURES 1 and 2. When the key lever 30 is depressed the reduced end 46of the key lever arm 32 will move downwardly thereby correspondinglydisplacing the lower free end of the flexible finger 43 along a normaldownward path of movement so that the finger pad 45 engages the upperedge of the roll cam projection 26 as illustrated in FIGURE '3.Continued depression of the key lever will then cause the roll cam 22 tobe pivoted into engagement with the power roll 27 as illustrated inFIGURE 4 so as to initiate the usual above described printing stroke ofthe type bar. If the key lever is restored to its normal position priorto the time that the printing and return strokes of the type bar arecompleted FIGURES 1 and positions.

3 then at the end of the cyclic operation all the parts will beimmediately restored to their respective normal FIG- URE 1 positions.However if the key lever 36 is held depressed then a repeat typingaction will not occur b cause the rearward edge 50 of the rollcamprojection 26 in moving counter clockwise from its FIGURE 4 to itsnormal FIGURE 1 position during the latter part of the cyclic typingoperation will engage the forward face of the now lowered free end ofthe finger 43 and will rea'rwardlydeflect the latter, as illustrated inFIGURE 7 5, laterally or rearwardly of its said normal path as said rollcam projection 26 approaches and reaches its normal This rearwarddeflection of finger 43 is never great enough however to causedisengagement of the key lever arm end 46 and the walls 'of the fingerslot 44. Under these conditions the roll cam 22 cannot be pivotallydisplaced into operative engagement with the power roll 27 until thekey'lever is first restored to an upper posit-ion so as to elevate thefree end of finger 43 and thus permit the finger pad 45 to snapforwardly into its normal operative overlying position with respect tothe upper edgeof the roll cam projection 26 as illustrated in FIGURE 1.When this has been accomplished the type action will then be ready foranother cyclic operation.

It will be seen that the roll cam trip action is accomplished by theability of that portion of the finger 43 between slot 44 and the bentover pad 45 to accommodate a key lever imposed column action that issuificient to rotatably displace the roll cam 22 against the action ofthe roll cam spring 25. During this trip action the upper portions ofthe finger 43 are subjected only to very slight bending or flexurestresses.' It will also be noted that the lower free end of finger 43cannot resist a rearward deflection as illustrated in FIGURE 5 and theentire length of finger 43 is subjected to a slight flexing stress whichaffords the by-pass feature of the instant arrangement. The forcesinvolved in the various flexures of the finger 43 are extremely lightand are not transmitted to or felt by operators fingers thus giving aparticularly desirable touch to the machine keyboard.

The single member 42 which is formed with the various flexible fingerssuch as 43 is simple in construction, inexpensive to fabricate andinstall, and has been found to be very reliable and eflicient' inoperation.

While there is in this application sepecifically described one formwhich the invention'may assume in practice,

it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposesof illustration only and that the invention may be modified and embodiedin various other forms 'without departing from its spirit or the scopeof the appended claims.

7 action to produce engagement of said drive means with said power rolland a greater length of said finger being adapted to be flexed so as toprovide a by-pass action.

2. In a typewriter; a type action comprising a type bar, a rotatablydriven power roll operatively mounted in the machine frame, drive meansengageable with said power roll for power actuating said type bar, meansfor controlling the engagement of said drive means with said power roll,said control means including a flexible finger V the free other end ofsaid finger is disposed adjacent a mounted on the machine frame, and akey lever adapted to operate said finger, said finger being adapted tobe subjected by said key lever to a column action to produce engagementof said drive meanswith said power roll and to be flexed by said drivemeans to provide a by-pass action.

3. In a typewriter; a type action comprising a type bar, a rotatablydriven power roll operatively mounted in the machine frame,'drive meansengageable with said power roll for power actuating said type bar, meansfor controlling the engagement of said drivemeans with said power roll,said control means including a flexible cantilever finger, and a keylever having an arm engageable with an intermediate 'portion of saidfinger so as to subject the free end of said finger to a column actionwhich serves to engage said drive means and displace the latter intooperative engagement with said power roll, said finger being adapted tobe subsequently laterally flexed by said drive means to provide aby-pass action.

4. In a typewriter; a type action comprising a type bar, a rotatablydriven powerr'ollo'peratively mounted in the machine frame, drive meansengageable with said power roll for power actuating said type bar, meansfor controlling the engagement of said drive means with said power roll,said control means including a flexible finger having an invertedgenerally U-shaped configuration, one end of said-finger being mountedon said frame while the free end of said finger is disposed adjacent aportion of said drive means, and a key lever having a rearwardlyextending arm which is engageable with the free end of said finger so asto displace the latter by a column action whereby said drive means isengaged with said power roll, said drive means being subsequentlyengageable with defines one finger of a slotted comb type member whichis mounted on the machine frame, said member providing a plurality ofsimilar cantilevered fingers for the various respective type actions ofthe machine.

6. In a typewriter; a type action comprising a type bar,

' a rotatably driven power roll operatively mounted in the machineframe, drive means engageable with said power roll for power actuatingsaid type bar, means for controlling the engagement of said drive meanswith said power roll, said control means including a flexible fingerhaving an inverted generally U-shaped configuration, one end of saidfinger being mounted on said frame while portion of said drive means,and a key lever having a rearwardly extending arm which is engageablewith a slot formed adjacent the free end of said finger wherebydepression of said key subjects the free end portion of said finger to acolumn action so as to engage and displace said drive means intooperative engagement with said 'power roll, said drive means in beingrestored to its normal position being engageable wiht the free end ofsaid finger so as to laterally deflect the latter rearwardly from itsnormal path of movement when said key lever is held in its depressedposition thereby preventing the initiation of another typing actionuntil the key lever is elevated to its normal upper position whereinsaid free end of the flexible finger may return to a normal operativeposition with respect to said drive means.

No references cited.

